Period
Contents
Key Stage 3
Meaning
A period is the time taken for one complete wave to pass a point.
Key Stage 4
Meaning
A period is the time taken for a single oscillation to occur.
About Periods
- Period may refer to the time taken for an oscillating object such as a pendulum or mass on a spring to make one full oscillation.
- Period may refer to the time taken for one wave to pass a point.
Equation
NB: You do not need to remember this equation but you should be able to find the period of a wave using the frequency.
Period = 1/(Frequency)
\(T = \frac{1}{f}\)
Where:
f = Frequency
T = time period (the time it takes for one wave to pass a point).
Example Calculations
| A wave has a frequency of 0.2Hz. Calculate how long it takes for one wave to pass a point. | The E-string on a bass guitar is plucked to produce a sound with a frequency of 40Hz. Calculate the time it takes for the E-string to make one full oscillation. |
| 1. State the known quantities
f = 0.2Hz |
1. State the known quantities
f = 40Hz |
| 2. Substitute the numbers into the equation and solve.
\(T = \frac{1}{0.2}\) \(T = 5s\) |
2. Substitute the numbers into the equation and solve.
\(T = \frac{1}{40}\) \(T = 0.025s\) |